Systems and methods for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device

ABSTRACT

A method for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device is described. The method includes detecting at least one feature location of an image. The method further includes generating, based on the at least one feature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of at least one horizontal line and at least one vertical line. The method additionally includes obtaining a gesture input. The method also includes determining at least one caricature action based on the at least one gesture input. The method further includes generating a caricature image based on the image mesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to electronic devices. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods forinteractive image caricaturing by an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

In the last several decades, the use of electronic devices has becomecommon. In particular, advances in electronic technology have reducedthe cost of increasingly complex and useful electronic devices. Costreduction and consumer demand have proliferated the use of electronicdevices such that they are practically ubiquitous in modern society. Asthe use of electronic devices has expanded, so has the demand for newand improved features of electronic devices. More specifically,electronic devices that perform new functions and/or that performfunctions faster, more efficiently or with higher quality are oftensought after.

Some electronic devices (e.g., cellular phones, smartphones, digitalcameras, camcorders, computers, etc.) capture and edit pictures orimages. For example, a smartphone may capture an image with anintegrated image sensing device.

While capturing and editing pictures or images may be beneficial, suchprocesses often are time-consuming and laborious. As can be observedfrom this discussion, systems and methods that add new and/or improvedfeatures of image editing may be beneficial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one configuration of anelectronic device in which systems and methods for interactive imagecaricaturing may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one configuration of a method forinteractive image caricaturing by an electronic device;

FIG. 3 illustrates a face image and examples of caricature images thatmay be generated using the systems and methods disclosed herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a mesh-based model that may begenerated using the systems and methods disclosed herein;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a more specific configuration ofan electronic device in which systems and methods for interactive imagecaricaturing may be implemented;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a more specific configuration of amethod for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating one configuration of a method forvalidating a gesture input by an electronic device;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a vertical pinch open gesture input;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a vertical pinch close gesture input;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a horizontal pinch open gesture input;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a horizontal pinch close gestureinput;

FIG. 12 illustrates another example of a face image and examples ofcaricature images that may be generated using the systems and methodsdisclosed herein;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a more specific configuration ofan electronic device in which systems and methods for interactive imagecaricaturing may be implemented; and

FIG. 14 illustrates various components that may be utilized in anelectronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device isdescribed. The method includes detecting at least one feature locationof an image. The method also includes generating, based on the at leastone feature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of at leastone horizontal line and at least one vertical line. The method alsoincludes obtaining at least one gesture input. The method also includesdetermining at least one caricature action based on the at least onegesture input. The method further includes generating a caricature imagebased on the image mesh, the at least one caricature action and theimage.

The image may be a face image. The vertices of the image mesh maycorrespond to the at least one feature location. The at least onegesture input may include a touch input. The method may includedisplaying at least one of the image and the caricature image.Generating a caricature image may include applying the at least onecaricature action to the image.

The at least one character action may provide shifting information forat least one vertex of the image mesh. The at least one character actionmay also provide a pixel map that maps an image vertex pixel to acorresponding caricature image vertex pixel based on the shiftinginformation. Generating a caricature image may include interpolating thelocation of other pixels in the caricature image based on the pixel map.

The method may include validating the at least one gesture input.Validating the at least one gesture input may include determiningwhether a motion of the gesture input is greater than a motionthreshold.

The at least one gesture input may include multiple gesture inputs. Themethod may include determining the motion of the gesture inputs relativeto one another. The method may include determining that the gestureinputs are horizontally aligned. The method may include determining thatthe gesture inputs are vertically aligned.

The method may include maintaining a caricature action list. The methodmay include adding the at least one caricature action to the caricatureaction list.

An electronic device for interactive image caricaturing is described.The electronic device includes feature location detection circuitry thatdetects at least one feature location of an image. The electronic devicealso includes image mesh generation circuitry coupled to the featurelocation detection circuitry. The image mesh generation circuitrygenerates, based on the at least one feature location, an image meshthat comprises a grid of at least one horizontal line and at least onevertical line. The electronic device also includes sensing circuitrythat obtains at least one gesture input. The electronic device alsoincludes caricature action determination circuitry coupled to thesensing circuitry. The caricature action determination circuitrydetermines at least one caricature action based on the at least onegesture input. The electronic device further includes caricature imagegeneration circuitry coupled to the image mesh generation circuitry andthe caricature action determination circuitry. The caricature imagegeneration circuitry generates a caricature image based on the imagemesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.

A computer-program product for interactive image caricaturing isdescribed. The computer-program product includes a non-transitorytangible computer-readable medium having instructions. The instructionsinclude code for causing an electronic device to detect at least onefeature location of an image. The instructions also include code forcausing the electronic device to generate, based on the at least onefeature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of at least onehorizontal line and at least one vertical line. The instructions alsoinclude code for causing the electronic device to obtain at least onegesture input. The instructions also include code for causing theelectronic device to determine at least one caricature action based onthe at least one gesture input. The instructions further include codefor causing the electronic device to generate a caricature image basedon the image mesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.

An apparatus for interactive image caricaturing is described. Theapparatus includes means for detecting at least one feature location ofan image. The apparatus also includes means for generating, based on theat least one feature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of atleast one horizontal line and at least one vertical line. The apparatusalso includes means for obtaining at least one gesture input. Theapparatus also includes means for determining at least one caricatureaction based on the at least one gesture input. The apparatus furtherincludes means for generating a caricature image based on the imagemesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.

Some configurations of the systems and methods disclosed herein provideinteractive image (e.g., face) caricaturing. Face caricaturing maydenote one or more procedures of generating a face image withexaggerated facial components from a normal face image. Previously, thiswas manually done by artists, while nowadays computer-based automaticface caricaturing has become available.

One method of computer-based face caricaturing may contain the followingsteps. First, detect facial feature locations in the input image. Thesefeatures may include eye corners, nostrils, mouth corners, chin andother facial contour points. Second, for each feature location, computethe new location for the caricatured face by scaling up or down thedistance between this feature location in the input image and thecorresponding one in an average face. Third, apply a texture warpingtechnique to warp the texture of the face in the input image to thecaricatured face. The texture warping may be based on a transform thatmaps each facial feature location in the input image to thecorresponding facial feature location in the caricatured face.

However, user interaction may be added to computer face caricaturing toachieve a user-desired style of caricaturing (e.g., a particular stylewith enlarged eyes and a shrunken nose). The systems and methodsdisclosed herein achieve interactive face caricaturing and may beapplied to mobile devices with a touch screen. Different finger gestureson the touch screen may be interpreted as different caricaturing actionson a mesh-based face caricaturing model, so that the user can easilygenerate interesting caricaturing by using simple finger movements onthe touch screen. FIG. 3 provides examples of caricaturing based on thesystems and methods disclosed herein. In particular, FIG. 3 illustratesan original face image on the left and three caricaturing effects in theremaining images.

In one application scenario of interactive face caricaturing inaccordance with the systems and methods disclosed herein, a face imagemay be displayed on a touch screen and the user may use his/her fingerson the touch screen to add desired caricaturing action(s) to the faceimage. After each action, the displayed caricatured face image may bethe result of previous caricaturing actions applied sequentially to theoriginal face image.

Various configurations are now described with reference to the Figures,where like reference numbers may indicate functionally similar elements.The systems and methods as generally described and illustrated in theFigures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety ofdifferent configurations. Thus, the following more detailed descriptionof several configurations, as represented in the Figures, is notintended to limit scope, as claimed, but is merely representative of thesystems and methods.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one configuration of anelectronic device 102 for interactive image caricaturing. As usedherein, the term “caricaturing” may refer to a manipulation of an image104. Image caricaturing may manipulate one or more pixels of the image.For example, image caricaturing may include changing a pixel's generallocation. For instance, image caricaturing may include changing apixel's location relative to other pixels in the image 104. Caricaturingmay also include interpolating new pixels.

Examples of the electronic device 102 include smart phones, cellularphones, digital cameras, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets,personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile devices, etc. The electronicdevice 102 may include one or more of a feature location detectionblock/module 106, an image mesh generation block/module 110, acaricature action determination block/module 116 and a caricature imagegeneration block/module 120. As used herein, the term “block/module” maybe used to indicate that a particular element may be implemented inhardware (e.g., circuitry), software or a combination of both. Forexample, the caricature action determination block/module 116 may beimplemented in hardware (e.g., circuitry), software or a combination ofboth.

The electronic device 102 may obtain an image 104. In someimplementations, the image 104 may be a face image 104. Additionally oralternatively, the image 104 may be a previously generated caricatureimage 122. The electronic device 102 may include (or be coupled to) animage sensing device (not pictured) that captures the image 104. Theimage sensing device may include an image sensor. Examples of the imagesensing device may include a camera and a scanner. For example, asmartphone (e.g., the electronic device 102) may include a camera (e.g.,the image sensing device) that captures a face image 104.

In another example, the electronic device 102 may receive the image 104from another device. For instance, the electronic device 102 may receivethe image 104 from another device over a network (e.g., a local areanetwork (LAN), the internet, a cellular network, etc.) or through adirect link (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, a Bluetoothwireless link, etc.).

The image 104 (e.g., the face image) may be provided to the featurelocation detection block/module 106 and the caricature image generationblock/module 120. Via the feature location detection block/module 106,the electronic device 102 may detect at least one feature location 108of the image 104. A feature location 108 may refer to the location of adistinct feature of the image 104. For example, a face image 104 mayinclude features such as the contours of the face, the corners of eyes,the tip of a nose, the corners of a nose, the nostrils, the corners of amouth, the forehead, the chin, the ears, the cheeks, etc. The featurelocation 108 may refer to the location of the pixels that make up thefeature. As used herein, the location of the pixels may refer to thecoordinates (in an x, y coordinate system, for example) of the pixelsthat make up the image. The feature location determination block/module106 may determine the feature location 108 based on one or morealgorithms. For example, the feature location determination block/module106 may analyze one or more pixels (e.g., pixel coloration) to determinewhere a feature of the image 104 is located.

The feature locations 108 (e.g., facial feature locations) may beprovided to the image mesh generation block/module 110. The image meshgeneration block/module 110 may generate an image mesh 112. The imagemesh 112 may include a grid of at least one horizontal line and at leastone vertical line. The lines may intersect at one or more vertices. Inother words, the image mesh 112 may include a grid of vertices that eachindicate an intersection of a horizontal line and a vertical line.

In some implementations, the image mesh 112 may be based on at least onefeature location 108. For example, some of the vertices of the imagemesh 112 may correspond to different feature locations 108. Forinstance, for a face image 104, the image mesh 112 may include multiplevertices that correspond to multiple facial feature locations 108 (e.g.,the corners of the eyes, the corners of the nose, the corners of themouth, etc.). In other words, the vertices may correspond to the pixelsof the image 104 that make up the facial features. Further, in thisexample, one or more of the features may correspond to the same line ofthe image mesh 112. For example, as will be described below inconnection with at least FIG. 4, the corners of the eyes may correspondto the same horizontal line of the image mesh 112. It should be notedthat in some implementations, not all of the vertices may align withfeature locations.

As will be described below, as the vertices are moved based on thegesture input 114, the corresponding features (e.g., the pixels thatmake up the features) may be moved in a similar fashion. For example, ifa horizontal line of the image mesh 112 is moved upward, the features(e.g., the corners of the eyes) that correspond to vertices on thishorizontal line may also move upward.

The electronic device 102 may obtain a gesture input 114. As usedherein, a gesture input 114 may refer to a motion that is received asinput by the electronic device 102. For example, an object (e.g., afinger or a stylus) may move in a vertical direction from a startingpoint. This may be received by the electronic device 102 as a gestureinput 114. In some implementations, the gesture input 114 may be a touchinput. For example, a smartphone (e.g., the electronic device 102) mayinclude (or be coupled to) a touch screen. In this example, a user maytouch an object (e.g., a finger or a stylus) to the touch screen at astarting point and may move the object in a vertical direction whilemaintaining contact with the touch screen. In a similar fashion, thetouch screen may detect a horizontal gesture input 114.

In some implementations, the gesture input 114 may not be a touch input.For example, the electronic device 102 may include a motion sensingdevice (a camera, for example) that detects motion. In this example, themotion sensing device may detect the movement of an object (e.g., thefinger or the stylus) that is not in contact with the electronic device102. For example, an object not in contact with the electronic device102 may move in a vertical direction. The electronic device 102, via thecamera (e.g., the motion sensing device), may detect the gesture input114.

In some implementations, the gesture input 114 may include multiplegesture inputs 114. For instance, the electronic device 102 (via a touchscreen, for example) may detect two gesture inputs 114 (via two fingersof a user). For example, the electronic device 102 may detect a verticalpinch close gesture input 114. A vertical pinch close gesture input 114may include two vertical gesture inputs 114 moving towards each other.By comparison, the electronic device 102 may detect a vertical pinchopen gesture input 114 which may include two vertical gesture inputs 114moving away from each other. Similarly, the electronic device 102 maydetect a horizontal pinch open gesture input 114 (e.g., two horizontalgesture inputs 114 moving away from each other) or a horizontal pinchclose gesture input 114 (e.g., two horizontal gesture inputs 114 movingtowards each other).

The gesture input(s) 114 may be provided to a caricature actiondetermination block/module 116 that may determine a caricature action118. The caricature action 118 may include information on how the image104 may be manipulated to generate a caricature image 122. For example,the caricature action 118 may include information indicating how thevertices of the image mesh 112 may be moved to generate a caricatureimage 122. In some implementations, the information may include amapping showing how a vertex of an image mesh 112 moves between theimage 104 and the caricature image 122.

In some implementations, the caricature action 118 may be based on thegesture input(s) 114. For example, if the electronic device 102 obtainsa vertical pinch open gesture input 114, the caricature action 118 mayinclude information indicating one or more vertices may be moved fartherapart from one another. More detail regarding the movement of verticesbased on the gesture input(s) 114 is given in connection with at leastone of FIGS. 8-11. As will be described in connection with at least oneof FIGS. 8-11, which vertices move, and how much the vertices move maybe based on the location of the vertices and the distance of thevertices from the starting point of the gesture input 114.

The caricature action 118 may provide a mapping between a vertex priorto the gesture input(s) 114 (e.g., of the original image 104) and thesame vertex after the gesture input(s) 114 (e.g., of the caricatureimage 122). For example, the caricature action 118 may provide a mappingbetween the location of a first vertex in the original image 104, andthe location of the same first vertex in the caricature image 122. Itshould be noted that the location (e.g., the x, y coordinates) of thefirst vertex may change between the image 104 and the caricature image122.

In some implementations, the caricature action 118 may provide aninterpolation of the non-vertex pixels of an image 104 (e.g., the pixelsthat do not correspond to a vertex of the image mesh 112). For example,based on the mapping of the image mesh 112 vertices, the electronicdevice 102 may interpolate the movement of the other pixels in the image104. Based on this interpolation, the electronic device 102 may apply atexture warping to pixels in the image, based on the mapping.

The image mesh 112, the caricature action 118 and the image 104 may beprovided to the caricature image generation block/module 120. Thecaricature image generation block/module 120 may generate a caricatureimage 122 based on the image mesh 112, the caricature action 118 and theimage 104. A caricature image 122 may refer to a version of the image104 that has been manipulated. For example, one or more of the pixels ofthe image 104 may be positioned differently to generate a caricatureimage 122. The caricature image generation block/module 120 may generatethe caricature image 122 by applying the caricature action 118 to theimage mesh 112 and the image 104. For example, as will be described inmore detail in FIGS. 8-11, if the caricature action 118 containsinformation indicating a first vertex is to be moved away from a secondvertex, the caricature image generation block/module 120 may move thefirst vertex of the image mesh 112 and a feature of the image 104corresponding to the first vertex away from a feature of the image 104corresponding to the second vertex of the image mesh 112. Similarly, thecaricature image generation block/module 120 may manipulate thenon-vertex pixels of the image 104 according to a non-vertex pixelmapping indicated in the caricature action 118. As described above, thenon-vertex pixel mapping may be generated by an interpolation of themapping of the vertices of the image mesh 112 and a texture warping maybe applied to the pixels.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one configuration of a method 200for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device 102. Theelectronic device 102 may detect 202 at least one feature location 108of an image 104. For example, the electronic device 102 may detect 202at least one facial feature location 108 of a face image 104. Examplesof facial features include the corners of eyes, the tip of a nose, thecorners of a nose, the corners of a mouth, a forehead, a chin, ears,cheeks, etc. The electronic device 102 may utilize one or moreapproaches to determine feature locations 108 in the image 104. Forexample, the electronic device 102 may determine pixel locations of facecontours or edges (e.g., top, sides, bottom or chin, etc.), eyes, nose(e.g., nostrils), mouth, forehead, etc. of a face image 104.

In some implementations, the image 104 may be one that was detected byan image sensing device (e.g., a camera or a scanner) that is coupled tothe electronic device 102. In other implementations, the image 104 maybe one that was received by another device (e.g., an Internet server,another electronic device, etc.)

In some implementations, the image 104 may be a caricature image thathas previously been generated. For example, in a prior cycle of themethod 200, a caricature image may have been generated based on previous(or existing) caricature actions and a previous image. In this example,the method 200 may include performing image caricaturing on thepreviously generated caricature image.

The electronic device 102 may generate 204 an image mesh 112 thatincludes a grid of at least one horizontal line and at least onevertical line. In some implementations, each line may correspond to anindex. For example, a first horizontal line may have a first horizontalindex (H0, for example) and a second horizontal line may have a secondhorizontal index (H1, for example). Similarly, a first vertical line mayhave a first vertical index (V0, for example) and a second vertical linemay have a second vertical index (V1, for example). The intersection ofa horizontal line and a vertical line may result in a vertex of theimage mesh 112. Each vertex of the image mesh 112 may be specified byits horizontal line index (e.g., H0, H1, . . . , H6) and its verticalline index (e.g., V0, V1, . . . , V7) in a coordinate form. For example,a first vertex at the intersection of the first horizontal line (e.g.,H0) and the first vertical line (e.g., V0) may be specified by thecoordinates (H0, V0). It should be noted that the actual location ofeach vertex on the image mesh 112, as indicated by vertex coordinates inthe image coordinate system X-O-Y (e.g., an x, y coordinate system), maychange after a caricature action 118.

In some implementations, the electronic device 102 may generate 204 animage mesh 112 based on at least one feature location 108. For instance,the electronic device 102 may generate 204 an image mesh 112 in which atleast one vertex (e.g., the intersection of a horizontal line and avertical line) corresponds to a feature location 108. For example, theelectronic device 102 may generate 204 an image mesh 112 in whichvertices may correspond to one or more of the corners of the eyes, thecorners of the mouth, the corners of the nose, etc. It should be notedthat in some cases one or more features (and corresponding vertices) mayfall on the same horizontal line. For example, corners of the eyes maycorrespond to vertices of the image mesh 112 that correspond to the samehorizontal line.

The electronic device 102 may obtain 206 at least one gesture input 114.As described above, in some implementations, the gesture input(s) 114may be a touch input. In these implementations, the electronic device102 may include (or be coupled to) a touch screen that detects a touchinput. In other implementations, the electronic device may obtain 206the gesture input(s) 114 via a motion sensing device that is coupled tothe electronic device 102. In this example, the electronic device 102may obtain 206 the gesture input(s) 114 without physical contact withthe electronic device 102. In some implementations, obtaining 206 atleast one gesture input 114 may include determining a direction of thegesture input(s) 114. For example, a touch screen may detect a verticalgesture input 114. Similarly, the touch screen may detect a horizontalgesture input 114.

In some implementations, the electronic device 102 may obtain 206multiple gesture inputs 114. For example, a touch screen coupled to theelectronic device 102 may receive touch inputs from multiple objects(e.g., two fingers) simultaneously. In this example, the touch screenmay also detect the relative motion of the gesture inputs 114. Forexample, the touch screen may detect whether the gesture inputs 114 aremoving closer together or farther apart.

The touch screen may detect whether the gesture inputs 114 are aligned.For example, the touch screen may detect whether the starting points ofthe gesture inputs 114 are horizontally aligned or vertically aligned.In some implementations, being aligned may indicate that the startingpoints of the gesture inputs 114 substantially fall on the same line(e.g., the same horizontal line for horizontally aligned gesture inputs114 and the same vertical line for vertically aligned gesture inputs114). In other implementations, determining whether gesture inputs 114are aligned may include determining if the gesture inputs 114 are withina threshold angle of one another. In yet other implementations, beingaligned may mean that the starting points of the gesture inputs 114 areless than a threshold distance away from a line of the image mesh 112.

The electronic device 102 may determine 208 at least one caricatureaction 118 based on the at least one gesture input 114. The caricatureaction 118 may provide shifting information for at least one vertex ofthe image mesh 112. The shifting information may indicate how thefeature locations 108 of an image 104 (and the image mesh 112 vertices)may be manipulated to generate a caricature image 122. For example, ifthe electronic device 102 obtains 206 two gesture inputs 114 that aremoving farther away from each other in a vertical direction (e.g., avertical pinch open gesture input 114), the caricature action 118 mayinclude information indicating that one or more vertices may also bemoved farther away from one another. It should be noted that in someimplementations, the distance the vertices move may be equal to ordifferent than the movement of the gesture inputs 114. More detailregarding the movement of vertices based on the gesture input 114 isgiven in connection with FIGS. 8-11 below. In this example, thecaricature action 118 may provide a vertex pixel map that maps an imagevertex pixel to its corresponding caricature image vertex pixel based onthe shifting information. The pixel map may indicate how a particularpixel may move based on the gesture input 114.

The electronic device 102 may generate 210 a caricature image 122 basedon the image mesh 112, the at least one caricature action 118 and theimage 104 (or a previously generated caricature image). In someimplementations, generating 210 a caricature image 122 may includeapplying the at least one caricature action 118 to the image 104 (orpreviously generated caricature image). For example, as described above,the at least one caricature action 118 may include a mapping of at leastone vertex in the image 104 (or previously generated caricature image)before the gesture input 114 to a corresponding vertex in the caricatureimage 122 after the gesture input 114. In this example, the electronicdevice 102 may apply the mapping and move the corresponding featurelocations 108 of the image 104 (or previously generated caricatureimage) and/or the vertices of the mesh image 112.

Generating 210 a caricature image 112 may also include manipulating oneor more pixels that are not associated with a vertex of the image mesh112. For example, the caricature action 118 may include an interpolationof the location of other pixels (e.g., pixels that do not correspond toa vertex) in the caricature image 122. In this example, the electronicdevice 102 may interpolate the location of other pixels based on thepixel map and perform a texture warping on the pixels.

FIG. 3 illustrates a face image 304 and examples of caricature images322 a-c that may be generated using the systems and methods disclosedherein. As described above, the electronic device 102 may receive theface image 304 via an image sensing device (e.g., camera or scanner)that is coupled to the electronic device 102. In some implementationsmultiple caricature images 322 a-c may be generated. For example, afirst caricature image 322 a may be generated based on a first set ofcaricature actions 118 and the face image 304. In this example, a firstset of gesture inputs 114 may indicate the first set of caricatureactions 118 as described herein. In this example, the electronic device102 may maintain a caricature action list that includes the caricatureactions that have been applied to the face image 304. For example, thecaricature action list may include the first set of caricature actions118.

In some examples, a second caricature image 322 b may be generated basedon a second set of caricature actions 118 and the first caricature image322 a. In this example, a second set of gesture inputs 114 may indicatethe second set of caricature actions 118. The second set of caricatureactions 118 may be appended to the caricature action list (e.g., thatincludes the first set of caricature actions 118).

In some examples, a third caricature image 322 c may be generated basedon a third set of caricature actions 118 and the second caricature image322 b. In this example, a third set of gesture inputs 114 may indicatethe third set of caricature actions 118. The third set of caricatureactions 118 may be appended to the caricature action list (e.g., thatincludes the first set of caricature actions 118 and the second set ofcaricature actions 118). It should be noted that each caricature image322 a-b may be a result of the previous caricature actions 118. Forexample, the third caricature image 322 c may be a result of the first,second and third set of caricature actions 118 being applied to the faceimage 304.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a mesh-based model in which systems andmethods for interactive image caricaturing may be implemented. In someimplementations, the mesh-based model may include an image mesh 412superimposed on an image 404. The image mesh 412 and the image 404 maybe examples of corresponding elements described in connection withFIG. 1. As described above, the image mesh 412 may include vertices 428that correspond to feature locations 108. For example, vertices A, B, Cand D 428 a-d may correspond to eye corner feature locations 108.Vertices E and F 428 e-f may correspond to nose corner feature locations108. Vertices G and H 428 g-h may correspond to mouth corner featurelocations 108.

As described above, the image mesh 412 may include at least onehorizontal line 424 and at least one vertical line 426. Each horizontalline 424 and vertical line 426 may be identified by a line index. Forexample, the first horizontal line 424 a may have a horizontal lineindex of H0. Similarly, the other horizontal lines 424 b-g may havecorresponding horizontal line indices H1-H6. Each horizontal line 424may also include one or more feature locations 108. For example, fromtop to bottom, the first horizontal line (e.g., H0) 424 a may be the topimage border, the second horizontal line (e.g., H1) 424 b may be definedby the forehead, the third horizontal line (e.g., H2) 424 c may runacross two eyes, the fourth horizontal line (e.g., H3) 424 d may runacross the nostrils, the fifth horizontal line (e.g., H4) 424 e may bedefined by the mouth, the sixth horizontal line (e.g., H5) 424 f may bedefined by the chin, and the last horizontal line (e.g., H6) 424 g maybe the bottom image border.

In a similar fashion, each vertical line 426 a-h may have a verticalline index V0-V7 and may also include one or more feature locations. Forexample, from left to right, the first vertical line (e.g., V0) 426 amay be the left image border, the second vertical line (e.g., V1) 426 bmay be defined by the leftmost face contour point, the third verticalline (e.g., V2) 426 c may be defined by the outer left eye corner, thefourth vertical line (e.g., V3) 426 d may be defined by the inner lefteye corner, the fifth vertical line (e.g., V4) 426 e may be defined bythe inner right eye corner, the sixth vertical line (e.g., V5) 426 f maybe defined by the outer right eye corner, the seventh vertical line(e.g., V6) 426 g may be defined by the rightmost face contour point andthe last vertical line (e.g., V7) 426 h may be defined by the rightimage border.

Each vertex on the image mesh 412 may be specified by its horizontalline index (e.g., H0, H1, . . . , H6) and its vertical line index (e.g.,V0, V1, . . . , V7). For example, vertex A 428 a (e.g., corresponding tothe outer left eye corner feature location 108) may be Vert (H2, V2). Itshould be noted that the location of each vertex on the image 404, asindicated by vertex coordinates in the image coordinate system X-O-Y(e.g., an x, y coordinate system), may change after a caricature action118.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a more specific configuration ofan electronic device 502 in which systems and methods for interactiveimage caricaturing may be implemented. The electronic device 502 may bean example of the electronic device 102 described in connection withFIG. 1. The electronic device 502 may include one or more of a featurelocation detection block/module 506, an image mesh generationblock/module 510, a caricature action determination block/module 516 anda caricature image generation block/module 520 that may be examples ofcorresponding elements described in connection with FIG. 1. In someimplementations, the electronic device 502 may pass an image 504, one ormore feature locations 508, an image mesh 512, a gesture input 514, acaricature action 518 and a caricature image 522 that may be examples ofcorresponding elements described in connection with FIG. 1.

In some implementations, the electronic device 502 may include (or becoupled to) a display 536 that displays at least one of the image 504,the caricature image 522 and the image mesh 512. In another example, theelectronic device 502 may be coupled to a projector and may project theimage 504, the image mesh 512 and/or the caricature image 522. In someimplementations, the display 536 may present the image mesh 512 that maybe displayed in addition to a face image 504 as a mesh-based model asdepicted in FIG. 4. As will be described in connection with FIG. 13, theimage mesh 512 may also be displayed in addition to the caricature image522 as a distorted image mesh.

The electronic device 502 may also include a gesture input validationblock/module 530 that determines whether the gesture input(s) 514 arevalid. For example, finger gestures on a touch screen may be detectedand checked to determine whether they are valid gesture inputs 514. Avalid gesture input 514 may be a gesture input 514 that is recognized bythe electronic device 502. For example a valid gesture input 514 may beone from which a caricature action 518 may be determined. Examples ofvalid gesture inputs 514 include, but are not limited to pinch open andpinch close gesture inputs in horizontal or vertical directions.

In some implementations the gesture input validation block/module 530may determine that a gesture input 514 is valid when the motion of thegesture inputs 514 relative to one another is greater than a motionthreshold. For example, when two fingers move horizontally or verticallycloser to or away from each other for a distance greater than a motionthreshold (30 pixels, for example), the electronic device 502 maydetermine that a gesture input 514 is valid.

Validating the gesture input 514 may also include determining whetherthe gesture inputs 514 are aligned. Horizontal gesture inputs 514 may behorizontally aligned if the starting points of the gesture inputs 514substantially fall on the same horizontal line of the image mesh 512.Similarly, vertical gesture inputs 514 may be vertically aligned if thestarting points of the gesture inputs 514 substantially fall on the samevertical line of the image mesh 512. In some implementations, theelectronic device 502 may determine that gesture inputs 514 that are notaligned are not valid gesture inputs 514. By comparison, the electronicdevice 502 may determine that gesture inputs 514 that are aligned arevalid gesture inputs 514. Once a gesture input 514 has been validated, avalidated gesture input 532 may be provided to the caricature actiondetermination block/module 516, which may determine a caricature action518 as described in connection with FIG. 2.

In some implementations, the electronic device 502 may maintain acaricature action list 534 that contains a list of all the caricatureactions 518 that have been determined. In some implementations, thecaricature action list 534 may include caricature actions 518 that havepreviously been applied to the image 504, for example in previousinstances of the method 200. In this example, the caricature action 518currently being applied may be appended to the caricature action list534. For example, as a caricature action 518 is identified by thegesture input 514, the electronic device 502 may store the caricatureaction 518 to the caricature action list 534 (e.g., which may or may notinclude previous caricature actions 518 that have been applied to theimage 504).

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a more specific configuration of amethod 600 for interactive image caricaturing by an electronic device502. The electronic device 502 may detect 602 at least one featurelocation 508 of the image 504. In some implementations this may be doneas described in connection with FIG. 2.

In some implementations, the electronic device 502 may display 604 theimage 504. For example, the electronic device 502 may be coupled to adisplay 536 that presents the image 504. Examples of the display 536 mayinclude a display screen of the electronic device 502, a television, aprojector, etc. As described above, the image 504 may be a previouslygenerated caricature image (e.g., generated based on previous, orexisting, caricature actions). In this example the electronic device 502may display 604 the previously generated caricature image.

The electronic device 502 may generate 606, based on the at least onefeature location 508, an image mesh 512 that comprises a grid of atleast one horizontal line 424 and at least one vertical line 426. Insome implementations this may be done as described in connection withFIG. 2. In some implementations, the electronic device 502 may alsodisplay the image mesh 512. For example, the display 536 may superimposethe horizontal lines 424 and the vertical lines 426 of the image mesh512 on top of the image 504 (or previously generated caricature image)as depicted in FIG. 4.

The electronic device 502 may obtain 608 at least one gesture input 514.In some implementations this may be done as described in connection withFIG. 2.

The electronic device 502 may validate 610 the gesture input(s) 514.Validating 610 the gesture input(s) 514 may include determining whetherthe gesture input(s) 514 are recognized by the electronic device 502.Validating 610 the gesture input(s) 514 may include determining whetherthe gesture input(s) 514 may determine a caricature action 518. Forexample, the electronic device 502 may determine whether the gestureinput 514 is one of a vertical pinch close gesture input, vertical pinchopen gesture input, horizontal pinch close gesture input or horizontalpinch open gesture input.

In some implementations validating 610 the gesture input(s) 514 mayinclude determining whether the motion of gesture inputs 514 relative toone another is greater than a motion threshold. For example, when twofingers move horizontally or vertically closer to or away from eachother by an amount greater than a certain number of pixels (e.g., 30pixels, for example), the gesture input 514 may be determined to bevalid. By comparison, if the fingers have not moved closer to or awayfrom each other by an amount greater than the certain number of pixels,the electronic device 502 may determine 610 that the gesture input 514is not valid.

Validating 610 the gesture input 514 may also include determiningwhether the gesture inputs 514 are aligned. For example, gesture inputs514 that are aligned may be determined to be valid. By comparison,gesture inputs 514 that are not aligned may be determined to be invalid.Gesture inputs 514 may be aligned vertically or horizontally. Gestureinputs 514 may be aligned if the starting points of the gesture inputs514 substantially fall on the same line (e.g., the same horizontal linefor horizontally aligned gesture inputs 514 and the same vertical linefor vertically aligned gesture inputs 514) of the image mesh 512. Inanother implementation, vertically aligned gesture inputs 514 may bewithin a certain angle threshold from one another. In anotherembodiment, aligned gesture inputs 514 may be within a certain anglethreshold from one another.

The electronic device 502 may determine 612 at least one caricatureaction 518 based on the at least one gesture input 514. In someimplementations this may be done as described in connection with FIG. 2.

The electronic device 502 may maintain 614 a caricature action list 534.In some implementations, the caricature action list 534 may contain alist of all the caricature actions 518 that have previously been appliedto the image 504 (or previously generated caricature image). In someimplementations, maintaining 614 a caricature action list 534 mayinclude appending a currently used caricature action 518 to thecaricature action list 534. For example, based on a first set of gestureinputs 514, a first caricature action 518 may be determined. In thisexample, the electronic device 502 may store the caricature action 518to the caricature action list 534. Similarly, if a second set of gestureinputs 514 prompts a second caricature action 518, the electronic device502 may append the second caricature action 518 to the caricature actionlist 534, which at this point may include the first caricature action518 (and any previously applied caricature actions 518).

The electronic device 502 may generate 616 a caricature image 522 basedon the image mesh 512, the at least one caricature action 518 and theimage 504 (or the previously generated caricature image). In someimplementations this may be done as described in connection with FIG. 2.As will be described below, in some configurations, multiple caricatureactions 518 (e.g., the first set and second set) may be applied to theimage 504 (or previously generated caricature image) simultaneously. Forexample, the new locations of all vertices (e.g., in the caricatureimage 522) due to all the caricature actions 518 may be computed andthen a single texture warping may be applied once to the image 504 (orpreviously generated caricature image) to generate the caricature image522.

In some implementations, the electronic device 502 may display 618 thecaricature image 522. For example, the electronic device 502 may include(or be coupled to) a display 536 that presents the caricature image 522.Examples of the display 536 include a display screen of the electronicdevice 502, a television, a projector, etc. In some implementations, theelectronic device 502 may also display the image mesh 512. For example,the display 536 may superimpose a distorted image mesh (e.g., based onthe caricature actions 518) on the caricature image 522 as will bedescribed in connection with FIG. 13. It should be noted that thedistorted image mesh as displayed with the caricature image 522 may bedifferent than the image mesh 512 as displayed with the image 504. Forexample, in the distorted image mesh displayed with the caricature image522, the spacing between one or more vertices (or one or more lines) maybe greater than or smaller than the spacing in the image mesh 512displayed with the image 504.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating one configuration of a method 700for validating the gesture input(s) 514 by an electronic device 502. Theelectronic device 502 may obtain 702 multiple gesture inputs 514 (e.g.,two fingers moving on a touch screen). In some implementations, this maybe done as described in connection with FIG. 2.

The electronic device 502 may determine 704 whether the gesture inputs514 are vertically aligned. In some implementations, gesture inputs 514may be vertically aligned if the gesture inputs 514 (the gesture inputstarting points, for example) substantially fall on the same verticalline 426. By comparison, gesture inputs 514 may not be verticallyaligned if the gesture inputs 514 do not substantially fall on the samevertical line 426. In another example, the electronic device 502 maydetermine 704 that the gesture inputs 514 are vertically aligned if thegesture inputs 514 are within a certain threshold angle of one another.By comparison, the electronic device 502 may determine 704 that thegesture inputs 514 are not vertically aligned if the gesture inputs 514are not within a certain threshold angle of one another. In yet anotherimplementation, the electronic device 502 may determine 704 that gestureinputs 514 are vertically aligned if the gesture inputs 514 are lessthan a threshold distance away from the same vertical line. Conversely,the electronic device 502 may determine 704 that gesture inputs 514 arenot vertically aligned if they are greater than a threshold distanceaway from the same vertical line.

If the electronic device 502 determines 704 that the gesture inputs 514are vertically aligned, the electronic device 502 may determine 706 ifthe vertical motion of the gesture inputs 514 is greater than a motionthreshold. For example, the electronic device 502 may determine 706 ifthe two gesture inputs 514 (e.g., the two fingers moving on the touchscreen) are moving relative to one another (either away from one anotheror towards one another) by an amount that is at least equal to adetermined number of pixels (e.g., thirty). If the electronic device 502determines 706 that the vertical motion of the gesture inputs 514 is notgreater than a motion threshold, the electronic device 502 may determine708 that the gesture inputs 514 are invalid.

However, if the electronic device 502 determines 706 that the verticalmotion of the gesture inputs 514 is greater than the motion threshold,the electronic device 502 may determine 710 whether the gesture inputs514 are moving closer together vertically. For example, the electronicdevice 502 may determine 710 that the gesture inputs 514 are movingcloser together if the number of pixels between the gesture inputs 514at the starting points is larger than the number of pixels between thegesture inputs 514 at the end of the motion. In other words, theelectronic device 502 may determine 710 that the gesture inputs 514 aremoving closer if the number of pixels between the gesture inputs 514 isgetting smaller. By comparison, the electronic device 502 may determine710 that the gesture inputs 514 are moving apart if the number of pixelsbetween the gesture inputs 514 at the starting points is smaller thanthe number of pixels between the gesture inputs 514 at the end of themotion. In other words, the electronic device 502 may determine 710 thatthe gesture inputs 514 are moving apart if the number of pixels betweenthe gesture inputs 514 is getting larger.

If the electronic device 502 determines 710 that the gesture inputs 514are moving closer together vertically, the electronic device 502 maydetermine 712 that the gesture input 514 is a vertical pinch closegesture input 514. By comparison, if the electronic device 502determines 710 that the gesture inputs 514 are not moving closertogether vertically (e.g., they are moving farther apart vertically),the electronic device 502 may determine 714 that the gesture input 514is a vertical pinch open gesture input 514.

If the electronic device 502 determines 704 that the gesture inputs 514are not vertically aligned, the electronic device 502 may determine 716if the horizontal motion of the gesture inputs 514 is greater than amotion threshold. For example, the electronic device 502 may determine716 if the two gesture inputs 514 (e.g., the two fingers moving on thetouch screen) are moving relative to one another (either away from oneanother or towards one another) by an amount that is at least equal to adetermined number of pixels (e.g., thirty). If the electronic device 502determines 716 that the horizontal motion of the gesture inputs 514 isnot greater than a motion threshold, the electronic device 502 maydetermine 708 that the gesture input(s) 514 are invalid.

However, if the electronic device 502 determines 716 that the horizontalmotion of the gesture inputs 514 is greater than the motion threshold,the electronic device 502 may determine 718 whether the gesture inputs514 are moving closer together horizontally. For example, the electronicdevice 502 may determine 718 that the gesture inputs 514 are movingcloser together horizontally if the number of pixels between the gestureinputs 514 at the starting points is larger than the number of pixelsbetween the gesture inputs 514 at the end of the motion. In other words,the electronic device 502 may determine 718 that the gesture inputs 514are moving closer together horizontally if the number of pixels betweenthe gesture inputs 514 is getting smaller. By comparison, the electronicdevice 502 may determine 718 that the gesture inputs 514 are movingapart if the number of pixels between the gesture inputs 514 at thestarting points is smaller than the number of pixels between the gestureinputs 514 at the end of the motion. In other words, the electronicdevice 502 may determine 718 that the gesture inputs 514 are movingapart if the number of pixels between the gesture inputs 514 is gettinglarger.

If the electronic device 502 determines 718 that the gesture inputs 514are moving closer together horizontally, the electronic device 502 maydetermine 720 that the gesture input 514 is a horizontal pinch closegesture input 514. By comparison, if the electronic device 502determines 718 that the gesture inputs 514 are not moving closertogether horizontally (e.g., they are moving farther aparthorizontally), the electronic device 502 may determine 722 that thegesture input 514 is a horizontal pinch open gesture input 514. Itshould be noted that one or more of the steps in the method 700 may beperformed by a touch screen of the electronic device 502. For example,the touch screen may detect vertical alignment, horizontal alignment,and/or whether the motion is greater than a motion threshold.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a vertical pinch open gesture input.More specifically, FIG. 8 illustrates a vertical pinch open gestureinput (left image) and a distorted image mesh 812 b resulting from thecorresponding caricature action 118 (right image). As described above,in some implementations, a touch screen 838 may be coupled to theelectronic device 102. In this example, a vertical pinch open gestureinput may include multiple gesture inputs 814 a-b to generate acaricature image 122.

In this example, a first gesture input starting point 840 a (e.g., afingertip starting position on the touch screen 838) may be mapped to afirst vertex 828 a with coordinates (X1start, Y1start) and a secondgesture input starting point 840 b may be mapped to a second vertex 828b with coordinates (X2start, Y2start) on the image coordinate system forthe interpretation of a caricature action 118. The first vertex 828 aand the second vertex 828 b may correspond to feature locations 108 ofthe image 804. For example, the first vertex 828 a may correspond to theinner corner of the right eye and the second vertex 828 b may correspondto the right corner of the mouth. As described above, a caricatureaction 118 contains information about which vertices of the image mesh812 a may change locations. It should be noted that, as depicted in FIG.8, the gesture input starting points 840 a-b may not exactly line upwith the vertices 828 a-b. In this example, the gesture input startingpoints 840 a-b may be mapped to the vertices 828 a-b that are closest tothe gesture input starting points 840 a-b. In another example, thegesture input starting points 840 a-b may be mapped to the vertical linethat is closest to the gesture input starting points 840 a-b.

A vertical caricature action 118 may include four elements, a caricaturedirection (e.g., Cd), an index (e.g., Ch1) of the first (from top)affected horizontal line 824 a in the image mesh 812 a, an index (e.g.,Ch2) of the last (from top) affected horizontal line 824 b (e.g., Ch2)and a predefined vertical caricaturing level with a value between 0and 1. For simplicity, in FIG. 8, the horizontal lines may be referredto by their indices.

For a vertical caricature action 118, assuming Y1start is greater thanY2start, then line Ch1 824 a may be the horizontal line closest toY1start and line Ch2 824 b may be the horizontal line closest toY2start. In this example, the vertices on line Ch1 824 a (which mayinclude the first vertex 828 a) and the vertices on line Ch2 824 b(which may include the second vertex 828 b) and the vertices on thehorizontal line between line Ch1 824 a and line Ch2 824 b may changeposition.

If the finger gesture is a vertical pinch open gesture input 814 asdepicted in FIG. 8, then all image mesh 812 a vertices on line Ch1 824 amay move up towards line Ch1−1 824 c by a value equal to the level ofthe vertical caricature action (e.g., CLv) multiplied by the currentdistance between line Ch1 824 a and line Ch1−1 824 c as depicted in thedistorted image mesh 812 b. Similarly, all vertices on the line Ch2 824b may move down towards line Ch2+1 824 d by a value equal to the levelof the vertical caricature action (e.g., CLv) multiplied by the currentdistance between line Ch2 824 b and line Ch2+1 824 d as depicted in thedistorted image mesh 812 b. Meanwhile, the new locations of the verticeson horizontal lines between line Ch1 824 a and line Ch2 824 b may bedetermined by linear interpolation from the new locations of thevertices on line Ch1 824 a and those on line Ch2 824 b.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a vertical pinch close gesture input.More specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates a vertical pinch close gestureinput (left image) and a distorted image mesh 912 b resulting from thecorresponding caricature action 118 (right image). As described above,in some implementations, a touch screen 938 may be coupled to theelectronic device 102. In this example, a vertical pinch close gestureinput may include multiple gesture inputs 914 a-b to generate acaricature image 122.

In this example, a first gesture input starting point 940 a (e.g., afingertip starting position on the touch screen 938) may be mapped to afirst vertex 928 a with coordinates (X1start, Y1start) and a secondgesture input starting point 940 b may be mapped to a second vertex 928b with coordinates (X2start, Y2start) on the image coordinate system forthe interpretation of a caricature action 118. The first vertex 928 aand the second vertex 928 b may correspond to feature locations 108 ofthe image 904. For example, the first vertex 928 a may correspond to theinner corner of the right eye and the second vertex 928 b may correspondto the right corner of the mouth. As described above, a caricatureaction 118 contains information about which vertices of the image mesh912 a may change locations. It should be noted that, as depicted in FIG.9, the gesture input starting points 940 a-b may not exactly line upwith the vertices 928 a-b. In this example, the gesture input startingpoints 940 a-b may be mapped to the vertices 928 a-b that are closest tothe gesture input starting points 940 a-b. In another example, thegesture input starting points 940 a-b may be mapped to the vertical linethat is closest to the gesture input starting points 940 a-b.

A vertical caricature action 118 may include four elements, a caricaturedirection (e.g., Cd), an index (e.g., Ch1) of the first (from top)affected horizontal line 924 a in the image mesh 912 a, an index (e.g.,Ch2) of the last (from top) affected horizontal line 924 b (e.g., Ch2)and a predefined vertical caricaturing level with a value between 0and 1. For simplicity, in FIG. 9, the horizontal lines may be referredto by their indices.

For a vertical caricature action 118, assuming Y1start is greater thanY2start, then line Ch1 924 a may be the horizontal line closest toY1start and line Ch2 924 b may be the horizontal line closest toY2start. In this example, the vertices on line Ch1 924 a (which mayinclude the first vertex 928 a) and the vertices on line Ch2 924 b(which may include the second vertex 928 b) and the vertices on thehorizontal line between line Ch1 924 a and line Ch2 924 may changeposition.

If the finger gesture is a vertical pinch close gesture input 914 asdepicted in FIG. 9, then all image mesh 912 a vertices on line Ch1 924 amay move down towards line Ch1+1 924 c by a value equal to the level ofthe vertical caricature action (e.g., CLv) multiplied by the currentdistance between line Ch1 924 a and line Ch1+1 924 c as depicted in thedistorted image mesh 912 b. Similarly, all vertices on the line Ch2 924b may move up towards line Ch2−1 by a value equal to the level of thevertical caricature action (e.g., CLv) multiplied by the currentdistance between line Ch2 924 b and line Ch2−1 as depicted in thedistorted image mesh 912 b. As depicted in FIG. 9, line Ch2−1 may be thesame as line Ch1+1 924 c. In other words, all vertices on the line Ch2924 b may move up towards line Ch1+1 924 c by a value equal to the levelof the vertical caricature action (e.g., CLv) multiplied by the currentdistance between line Ch2 924 b and the line Ch1+1 924 c as depicted inthe distorted image mesh 912 b. Meanwhile, the new locations of thevertices on the horizontal lines between line Ch1 924 a and line Ch2 924b may be determined by linear interpolation from the new locations ofthe vertices on line Ch1 924 a and those on line Ch2 924 b.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a horizontal pinch open gesture input.More specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates a horizontal pinch open gestureinput (left image) and a distorted image mesh 1012 b resulting from thecorresponding caricaturing action 118 (right image). As described above,in some implementations, a touch screen 1038 may be coupled to theelectronic device 102. In this example, a horizontal pinch open gestureinput may include multiple gesture inputs 1014 a-b to generate acaricature image 122.

In this example, a first gesture input starting point 1040 a (e.g., afingertip starting position on the touch screen 1038) may be mapped to afirst vertex 1028 a and a second gesture input starting point 1040 b maybe mapped to a second vertex 1028 b on the image coordinate system forthe interpretation of a caricature action 118. The first vertex 1028 aand the second vertex 1028 b may correspond to feature locations 108 ofthe image 1004. For example, the first vertex 1028 a may correspond tothe outer corner of the left eye and the second vertex 1028 b maycorrespond to the inner corner of the right eye. As described above, acaricature action 118 contains information about which vertices of theimage mesh 1012 a may change locations. It should be noted that, asdepicted in FIG. 10, the gesture input starting points 1040 a-b may notexactly line up with the vertices 1028 a-b. In this example, the gestureinput starting points 1040 a-b may be mapped to the vertices 1028 a-bthat are closest to the gesture input starting points 1040 a-b.

A horizontal caricature action 118 may include five elements: acaricature direction (e.g. Cd), an index (e.g., Ch) of the affectedhorizontal control line 1024, an index (e.g., Cv1) of the first affectedvertex 1028 a on the horizontal control line 1024, an index (e.g., Cv2)of the last affected vertex 1028 b on the horizontal control line 1024and a predefined horizontal caricaturing level (e.g., CLh). In thisexample, the caricature direction may be horizontal and the affectedhorizontal control line 1024 may be the horizontal line closest to themidpoint (e.g., in the vertical direction) of the starting points 1040a-b of the gesture inputs. For simplicity, in FIG. 10, the lines may bereferred to by their corresponding index.

In some implementations, vertex Cv1 1028 a and vertex Cv2 1028 b may bedefined as the two vertices that are closest to the first gesture inputstarting point 1040 a (e.g., X1start, Y1start) and the second gestureinput starting point 1040 b (e.g., X2start, Y2start). Vertex Cv1 1028 aand vertex Cv2 1028 b may also be defined as two specific verticesregardless of the locations of the gesture input starting points 1040a-b. For example, if line Ch 1024 is line H2 which connects two eyes,vertex Cv1 1028 a may be defined as Vert (H2,V2) and vertex Cv2 1028 bmay be defined as Vert (H2,V5), which correspond to the outer eye cornerof the left eye, and the inner corner of the right eye. For simplicity,in FIG. 10, vertices may be referred to by their corresponding index.For example the first vertex 1028 a and the second vertex 1028 b may bereferred to as vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1) 1028 a and the second vertex 1028 bmay be referred to as vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1028 b, respectively.References to other vertices may similarly be based on the vertex index.In some implementations, for horizontal caricaturing, only the verticeson the horizontal control line 1024 may change position. In other words,only vertices defined as Vert (Ch, Cv1), Vert (Ch, Cv1+1), . . . , Vert(Ch, Cv2) may change their locations.

If the finger gesture is a horizontal pinch open gesture input 1014 asdepicted in FIG. 10, then vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1) 1028 a may move left bya value equal to the level of the horizontal caricature action (e.g.,CLh) multiplied by the current distance between vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1)1028 a and vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1−1) 1028 c as depicted in the distortedimage mesh 1012 b. Similarly, vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1028 b may moveright by an amount equal to the level of the horizontal caricatureaction (e.g., CLh) multiplied by the current distance between vertexVert (Ch, Cv2) 1028 b and vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2+1) 1028 d as depicted inthe distorted image mesh 1012 b. Meanwhile, the new locations ofvertices Vert (Ch, Cv1+1), . . . , Vert (Ch, Cv2−1), may be determinedby linear interpolation from the new locations of vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1)1028 a and vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1028 b. As depicted in FIG. 10, thevertices on the horizontal lines other than the horizontal control line1024 may not move location. The location of these vertices may remainthe intersection points between horizontal lines and the vertical linesthat are perpendicular to the horizontal lines.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a horizontal pinch close gestureinput. More specifically, FIG. 11 illustrates a horizontal pinch closegesture input (left image) and a distorted image mesh 1112 b resultingfrom the corresponding caricaturing action 118 (right image). Asdescribed above, in some implementations, a touch screen 1138 may becoupled to the electronic device 102. In this example, a horizontalpinch open gesture input may include multiple gesture inputs 1114 a-b togenerate a caricature image 122.

In this example, a first gesture input starting point 1140 a (e.g., afingertip starting position on the touch screen 1138) may be mapped to afirst vertex 1128 a and a second gesture input starting point 1140 b maybe mapped to a second vertex 1128 b on the image coordinate system forthe interpretation of a caricature action 118. The first vertex 1128 aand the second vertex 1128 b may correspond to feature locations 118 ofthe image 1104. For example, the first vertex 1128 a may correspond tothe outer corner of the left eye and the second vertex 1128 b maycorrespond to the inner corner of the right eye. As described above, acaricature action 118 contains information about which vertices of theimage mesh 1112 a may change locations. It should be noted that, asdepicted in FIG. 11, the gesture input starting points 1140 a-b may notexactly line up with the vertices 1128 a-b. In this example, the gestureinput starting points 1140 a-b may be mapped to the vertices 1128 a-bthat are closest to the gesture input starting points 1140 a-b.

A horizontal caricature action 118 may include five elements: acaricature direction (e.g. Cd), an index (e.g., Ch) of the affectedhorizontal control line 1124, an index (e.g., Cv1) of the first affectedvertex 1128 a on the horizontal control line 1124, an index (e.g., Cv2)of the last affected vertex 1128 b on the horizontal control line 1124and a predefined horizontal caricaturing level (e.g., CLh). In thisexample, the caricature direction may be horizontal and the affectedhorizontal control line 1124 may be the horizontal line closest to themidpoint (e.g., in the vertical direction) of the starting points 1140a-b of the gesture inputs. For simplicity, in FIG. 11, the lines may bereferred to by their corresponding index.

In some implementations, vertex Cv1 1128 a and vertex Cv2 1128 b may bedefined as the two vertices that are closest to the first gesture inputstarting point 1140 a (e.g., X1start, Y1start) and the second gestureinput starting point 1140 b (e.g., X2start, Y2start). Vertex Cv1 1128 aand vertex Cv2 1128 b may also be defined as two specific verticesregardless of the locations of the gesture input starting points 1140a-b. For example, if line Ch 1124 is line H2 which connects two eyes,vertex Cv1 1128 a may be defined as Vert (H2,V2) and vertex Cv2 1128 bmay be defined as Vert (H2,V5), which correspond to the outer eye cornerof the left eye and the inner corner of the right eye. For simplicity,in FIG. 11, vertices may be referred to by their corresponding index.For example the first vertex 1128 a may be referred to as vertex Vert(Ch, Cv1) 1128 a and the second vertex 1128 b may be referred to asvertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1128 b, respectively. References to other verticesmay similarly be based on the vertex index. In some implementations, forhorizontal caricaturing, only the vertices on the horizontal controlline 1124 may change position. In other words, only vertices defined asVert (Ch, Cv1), Vert (Ch, Cv1+1), . . . , Vert (Ch, Cv2) may changetheir locations.

If the finger gesture is a horizontal pinch close gesture input 1114 asdepicted in FIG. 11, then vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1) 1128 a may move right bya value equal to the level of the horizontal caricature action (e.g.,CLh) multiplied by the current distance between vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1)1128 a and vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1+1) 1128 c as depicted in the distortedimage mesh 1112 b. Similarly, vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1128 b may move leftby an amount equal to the level of the caricature action (e.g., CLh)multiplied by the current distance between vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2) 1128 band vertex Vert (Ch, Cv2−1) 1128 d as depicted in the distorted imagemesh 1112 b. Meanwhile, the new locations of vertices Vert (Ch, Cv1+1),. . . , Vert (Ch, Cv2−1), may be determined by linear interpolation fromthe new locations of vertex Vert (Ch, Cv1) 1128 a and vertex Vert (Ch,Cv2) 1128 b. As depicted in FIG. 11, the vertices on the horizontallines other than the horizontal control line 1124 may not move location.The location of these vertices may remain the intersection pointsbetween horizontal lines and the vertical lines that are perpendicularto the horizontal lines.

FIG. 12 illustrates another example of a face image 1204 and examples ofcaricature images 1222 a-b that may be generated using the systems andmethods disclosed herein. As described above, in some implementations adisplay 536 coupled to the electronic device 102 may present the faceimage 1204 and an image mesh 1212 a in a mesh-based model.

A first caricature image 1222 a may be generated based on a first set ofcaricature actions 118 and the face image 1204. In this example, a firstset of gesture inputs 114 may indicate the first set of caricatureactions 118 as described herein. FIG. 12 also depicts a first distortedimage mesh 1212 b. The first distorted image mesh 1212 b may indicatethe change in position of one or more vertices after a series ofhorizontal pinch actions on the forehead, the eyes, the nose, the mouth,etc. of the face image 1204, as illustrated in the middle image. Asdescribed above, the first set of caricature actions 118 may be appendedto the caricature action list 534. The caricature action list 534 maydetermine the mappings between the location of every image mesh 1212 avertex in the face image 1204 and its new location in the firstcaricature image 1222 a. Based on this vertex mapping, a mapping foreach of the non-vertex pixels in the first caricature image 1222 a andtheir original locations in the face image 1204 may be computed. Thecolor of these pixels may then be obtained.

A second caricature image 1222 b may be generated based on a second setof caricature actions 118 and the first caricature image 1222 a. In thisexample, a second set of gesture inputs 114 may indicate the second setof caricature actions 118 as described herein. FIG. 12 also depicts asecond distorted image mesh 1212 c. The second distorted image mesh 1212c may indicate the change in position of one or more vertices after aseries of vertical pinch actions further applied on the forehead, thechin, etc. of the first caricature image 1222 a, as illustrated in theright image. As described above, the second set of caricature actions118 may be appended to the caricature action list 534 (e.g., which maycontain the first set of caricature actions 118). It should be notedthat the each caricature image 1222 a-b may be a result of the previouscaricature actions 118. For example, the second caricature image 1222 bmay be a result of the first and second set of caricature actions 118being applied to the face image 1204.

In some implementations, to apply the caricature actions 118 (e.g., thefirst set of caricature actions 118 and the second set of caricatureactions 118), the new locations of all vertices due to the combinedcaricature actions 118 may be computed. A single texture warping (basedon both the first set of caricature actions 118 and the second set ofcaricature actions 118) may then be applied once on the face image 1204.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a more specific configuration ofan electronic device 1302 in which systems and methods for interactiveimage caricaturing may be implemented. The electronic device 1302 may bean example of the electronic device 102 described in connection withFIG. 1. The electronic device 1302 may receive a face image 1304 thatmay be an example of the image 104 described in connection with FIG. 1.For example, the face image 1304 may be a previously caricatured faceimage. In one implementation, the face image 1304 may be provided to aface detection block/module 1342 that may include all or part of thefunctionality of the feature location detection block/module 106described in connection with FIG. 1. For example, the face detectionblock/module 1342 may detect facial feature locations 1308 that may beexamples of the feature locations 108 described in connection withFIG. 1. The facial feature locations 1308 may be provided to an imagemesh generation block/module 1310 that may be an example of the imagemesh generation block/module 110 described in connection with FIG. 1. Inthis implementation, the image mesh generation block/module 1310 maygenerate image vertices coordinates 1344 that indicate the locations ofthe vertices of the image mesh that correspond to the facial featurelocations 1308. The image vertices coordinates 1344 may be defined basedon the indices of the horizontal line and vertical line that intersectat the vertex (e.g., H1, V2).

The electronic device 1302 may receive a finger gesture input 1314 thatmay be an example of the gesture input 114 described in connection withFIG. 1. The finger gesture input 1314 may be provided to an interactivecaricature action interpretation block/module 1346 that may include allor part of the functionality of the caricature action determinationblock/module 116 described in connection with FIG. 1. For example, theinteractive caricature action interpretation block/module 1346 maydetermine a new caricature action 1318 based on the finger gesture input1314.

The new caricature action 1318 may be provided to a caricature actionupdate block/module 1348 that may update the caricature action list. Asdescribed above, the electronic device 1302 may maintain a caricatureaction list that contains a list of all the caricature actions that havebeen determined. A previous caricature action list 1350 a that containsa list of all previous caricature actions that may have been applied tothe face image 1304 (or previously generated caricature image), may beprovided to the vertices remapping block/module 1352 to be used togenerate caricature image vertices coordinates. In some implementations,the previous caricature action list 1350 a may not include the newcaricature action 1318 (e.g., the caricature action currently beingdetermined).

The vertices remapping block/module 1352 may determine previouscaricature image vertices coordinates 1354 a based on the previouscaricature action list 1350 a and the image vertices coordinates 1344.The previous caricature action list 1350 a and the previous caricatureimage vertices 1354 a may pertain to a previous caricature action thatwas determined (in a previous instance of the method 200 for example).In some implementations, the previous caricature image verticescoordinates 1354 a may be provided to the interactive caricature actioninterpretation block/module 1346 to assist in determining a newcaricature action 1318.

In some implementations, the caricature action update block/module 1348may add the new caricature action 1318 to the caricature action list(that includes any caricature actions that have been previouslydetermined) to generate a new caricature action list 1350 b. The newcaricature action list 1350 b may be provided to the vertices remappingblock/module 1352. The image vertices coordinates 1344 may also bepassed to the vertices remapping block/module 1352.

In some implementations, the vertices remapping block/module 1352 maydetermine new caricature image vertices coordinates 1354 b based on thenew caricature action list 1350 b and the image vertices coordinates1344. For example, the vertices remapping block/module 1352 maydetermine the location (in the caricature image 1322) of the vertices ofthe face image 1304 based on the new caricature action list 1350 b(which may include previously determined caricature actions and the newcaricature action 1318).

The new caricature image vertices coordinates 1354 b may be passed to aremapping generation block/module 1356. The remapping generationblock/module 1356 may also receive the image vertices coordinates 1344.The remapping generation block/module 1356 may generate a mappingbetween the image vertices coordinates 1344 and the new caricature imagevertices coordinates 1354 b. The output of the remapping generationblock/module 1356 may be one or more mapping matrices 1358 that reflectthe relationship between the change in position of the image verticesand the caricature image vertices (e.g., based on their coordinates).

The mapping matrices 1358 and the face image 1304 may be provided to atexture warping block/module 1360 that performs a texture warping of theface image 1304. For example, the texture warping block/module 1360 maychange the position of one or more pixels in the face image 1304 togenerate a caricature image 1322.

FIG. 14 illustrates various components that may be utilized in anelectronic device 1402. The illustrated components may be located withinthe same physical structure or in separate housings or structures. Theelectronic device 1402 described in connection with FIG. 14 may beimplemented in accordance with one or more of the electronic devicesdescribed herein. The electronic device 1402 includes a processor 1462.The processor 1462 may be a general purpose single- or multi-chipmicroprocessor (e.g., an ARM), a special purpose microprocessor (e.g., adigital signal processor (DSP)), a microcontroller, a programmable gatearray, etc. The processor 1462 may be referred to as a centralprocessing unit (CPU). Although just a single processor 1462 is shown inthe electronic device 1402 of FIG. 14, in an alternative configuration,a combination of processors (e.g., an ARM and DSP) could be used.

The electronic device 1402 also includes memory 1464 in electroniccommunication with the processor 1462. That is, the processor 1462 canread information from and/or write information to the memory 1464. Thememory 1464 may be any electronic component capable of storingelectronic information. The memory 1464 may be random access memory(RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic disk storage media, opticalstorage media, flash memory devices in RAM, on-board memory includedwith the processor, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM(EEPROM), registers, and so forth, including combinations thereof.

Data 1466 a and instructions 1468 a may be stored in the memory 1464.The instructions 1468 a may include one or more programs, routines,sub-routines, functions, procedures, etc. The instructions 1468 a mayinclude a single computer-readable statement or many computer-readablestatements. The instructions 1468 a may be executable by the processor1462 to implement one or more of the methods, functions and proceduresdescribed above. Executing the instructions 1468 a may involve the useof the data 1466 a that is stored in the memory 1464. FIG. 14 shows someinstructions 1468 b and data 1466 b being loaded into the processor 1462(which may come from instructions 1468 a and data 1466 a).

The electronic device 1402 may also include one or more communicationinterfaces 1470 for communicating with other electronic devices. Thecommunication interfaces 1470 may be based on wired communicationtechnology, wireless communication technology, or both. Examples ofdifferent types of communication interfaces 1470 include a serial port,a parallel port, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), an Ethernet adapter, anIEEE 1394 bus interface, a small computer system interface (SCSI) businterface, an infrared (IR) communication port, a Bluetooth wirelesscommunication adapter, and so forth.

The electronic device 1402 may also include one or more input devices1472 and one or more output devices 1474. Examples of different kinds ofinput devices 1472 include a keyboard, mouse, microphone, remote controldevice, button, joystick, trackball, touchpad, lightpen, etc. Forinstance, the electronic device 1402 may include one or more microphones1476 for capturing acoustic signals. In one configuration, a microphone1476 may be a transducer that converts acoustic signals (e.g., voice,speech) into electrical or electronic signals. Examples of differentkinds of output devices 1474 include a speaker, printer, etc. Forinstance, the electronic device 1402 may include one or more speakers1478. In one configuration, a speaker 1478 may be a transducer thatconverts electrical or electronic signals into acoustic signals. Onespecific type of output device which may be typically included in anelectronic device 1402 is a display device 1434. Display devices 1434used with configurations disclosed herein may utilize any suitable imageprojection technology, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD),light-emitting diode (LED), gas plasma, electroluminescence, cathode raytube (CRT) or the like. A display controller 1480 may also be provided,for converting data stored in the memory 1464 into text, graphics,and/or moving images (as appropriate) shown on the display device 1434.

The various components of the electronic device 1402 may be coupledtogether by one or more buses, which may include a power bus, a controlsignal bus, a status signal bus, a data bus, etc. For simplicity, thevarious buses are illustrated in FIG. 14 as a bus system 1482. It shouldbe noted that FIG. 14 illustrates only one possible configuration of anelectronic device 1402. Various other architectures and components maybe utilized.

In the above description, reference numbers have sometimes been used inconnection with various terms. Where a term is used in connection with areference number, this may be meant to refer to a specific element thatis shown in one or more of the Figures. Where a term is used without areference number, this may be meant to refer generally to the termwithout limitation to any particular Figure.

The term “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and,therefore, “determining” can include calculating, computing, processing,deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, adatabase or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also,“determining” can include receiving (e.g., receiving information),accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also,“determining” can include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishingand the like.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on,” unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on.”

It should be noted that one or more of the features, functions,procedures, components, elements, structures, etc., described inconnection with any one of the configurations described herein may becombined with one or more of the functions, procedures, components,elements, structures, etc., described in connection with any of theother configurations described herein, where compatible. In other words,any compatible combination of the functions, procedures, components,elements, etc., described herein may be implemented in accordance withthe systems and methods disclosed herein. In some configurations, one ormore subsets or portions of the functions or procedures disclosed hereinmay be applied independently of other functions or procedures disclosedherein.

The functions described herein may be stored as one or more instructionson a processor-readable or computer-readable medium. The term“computer-readable medium” refers to any available medium that can beaccessed by a computer or processor. By way of example, and notlimitation, such a medium may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory,CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to storedesired program code in the form of instructions or data structures andthat can be accessed by a computer. Disk and disc, as used herein,includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatiledisc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray® disc where disks usually reproducedata magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Itshould be noted that a computer-readable medium may be tangible andnon-transitory. The term “computer-program product” refers to acomputing device or processor in combination with code or instructions(e.g., a “program”) that may be executed, processed or computed by thecomputing device or processor. As used herein, the term “code” may referto software, instructions, code or data that is/are executable by acomputing device or processor.

Software or instructions may also be transmitted over a transmissionmedium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website,server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable,twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologiessuch as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiberoptic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such asinfrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition oftransmission medium.

The methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions forachieving the described method. The method steps and/or actions may beinterchanged with one another without departing from the scope of theclaims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions isrequired for proper operation of the method that is being described, theorder and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modifiedwithout departing from the scope of the claims.

It is to be understood that the claims are not limited to the preciseconfiguration and components illustrated above. Various modifications,changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation anddetails of the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for interactive image caricaturing by anelectronic device, comprising: detecting at least one feature locationof an image; generating, based on the at least one feature location, animage mesh that comprises a grid of at least one horizontal line and atleast one vertical line; obtaining at least one gesture input;determining at least one caricature action based on the at least onegesture input; and generating a caricature image based on the imagemesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the image is a face image.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein vertices of the image mesh correspond to the at least onefeature location.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least onegesture input comprises a touch input.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising displaying at least one of the image and the caricatureimage.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a caricature imagecomprises applying the at least one caricature action to the image. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one character actionprovides shifting information for at least one vertex of the image meshand provides a pixel map that maps an image vertex pixel to acorresponding caricature image vertex pixel based on the shiftinginformation, and wherein generating a caricature image comprisesinterpolating a location of other pixels in the caricature image basedon the pixel map.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprisingvalidating the at least one gesture input.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein validating the at least one gesture input comprises determiningwhether a motion of the gesture input is greater than a motionthreshold.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gestureinput comprises multiple gesture inputs.
 11. The method of claim 10,further comprising determining a motion of the gesture inputs relativeto one another.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprisingdetermining that the gesture inputs are horizontally aligned.
 13. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising determining that the gestureinputs are vertically aligned.
 14. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising maintaining a caricature action list.
 15. The method of claim14, further comprising adding the at least one caricature action to thecaricature action list.
 16. An electronic device for interactive imagecaricaturing, comprising: feature location detection circuitry thatdetects at least one feature location of an image; image mesh generationcircuitry coupled to the feature location detection circuitry, whereinthe image mesh generation circuitry generates, based on the at least onefeature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of at least onehorizontal line and at least one vertical line; sensing circuitry thatobtains at least one gesture input; caricature action determinationcircuitry coupled to the sensing circuitry, wherein the caricatureaction determination circuitry determines at least one caricature actionbased on the at least one gesture input; and caricature image generationcircuitry coupled to the image mesh generation circuitry and thecaricature action determination circuitry, wherein the caricature imagegeneration circuitry generates a caricature image based on the imagemesh, the at least one caricature action and the image.
 17. Theelectronic device of claim 16, wherein the image is a face image. 18.The electronic device of claim 16, wherein vertices of the image meshcorrespond to the at least one feature location.
 19. The electronicdevice of claim 16, wherein the at least one gesture input comprises atouch input.
 20. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising adisplay that is coupled to the caricature image generation circuitry andthat displays at least one of the image and the caricature image. 21.The electronic device of claim 16, wherein generating a caricature imagecomprises applying the at least one caricature action to the image. 22.The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the at least one characteraction provides shifting information for at least one vertex of theimage mesh and provides a pixel map that maps an image vertex pixel to acorresponding caricature image vertex pixel based on the shiftinginformation, and wherein generating a caricature image comprisesinterpolating a location of other pixels in the caricature image basedon the pixel map.
 23. The electronic device of claim 16, furthercomprising gesture input validation circuitry coupled to the sensingcircuitry, wherein the gesture input validation circuitry validates theat least one gesture input.
 24. The electronic device of claim 23,wherein validating the at least one gesture input comprises determiningwhether a motion of the gesture input is greater than a motion thresholdvalue.
 25. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the at least onegesture input comprises multiple gesture inputs.
 26. The electronicdevice of claim 25, wherein the gesture input validation circuitrydetermines a motion of the gesture inputs relative to one another. 27.The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the gesture input validationcircuitry determines that the gesture inputs are horizontally aligned.28. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the gesture inputvalidation circuitry determines that the gesture inputs are verticallyaligned.
 29. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronicdevice maintains a caricature action list.
 30. The electronic device ofclaim 29, wherein the electronic device adds the at least one caricatureaction to the caricature action list.
 31. A computer-program product forinteractive image caricaturing, comprising a non-transitory tangiblecomputer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructionscomprising: code for causing an electronic device to detect at least onefeature location of an image; code for causing the electronic device togenerate, based on the at least one feature location, an image mesh thatcomprises a grid of at least one horizontal line and at least onevertical line; code for causing the electronic device to obtain at leastone gesture input; code for causing the electronic device to determineat least one caricature action based on the at least one gesture input;and code for causing the electronic device to generate a caricatureimage based on the image mesh, the at least one caricature action andthe image.
 32. The computer-program product of claim 31, wherein theimage is a face image.
 33. The computer-program product of claim 31,wherein vertices of the image mesh correspond to the at least onefeature location.
 34. The computer-program product of claim 31, whereinthe at least one gesture input comprises a touch input.
 35. Thecomputer-program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions furthercomprise code for causing the electronic device to display at least oneof the image and the caricature image.
 36. The computer-program productof claim 31, wherein the code for causing the electronic device togenerate a caricature image comprises code for causing the electronicdevice to apply the at least one caricature action to the image.
 37. Thecomputer-program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions furthercomprise code for causing the electronic device to validate the at leastone gesture input.
 38. The computer-program product of claim 31, whereinthe at least one gesture input comprises multiple gesture inputs. 39.The computer-program product of claim 31, wherein the instructionsfurther comprise code for causing the electronic device to maintain acaricature action list.
 40. The computer-program product of claim 39,wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing theelectronic device to add the at least one caricature action to thecaricature action list.
 41. An apparatus for interactive imagecaricaturing, comprising: means for detecting at least one featurelocation of an image; means for generating, based on the at least onefeature location, an image mesh that comprises a grid of at least onehorizontal line and at least one vertical line; means for obtaining atleast one gesture input; means for determining at least one caricatureaction based on the at least one gesture input; and means for generatinga caricature image based on the image mesh, the at least one caricatureaction and the image.
 42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the imageis a face image.
 43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein vertices of theimage mesh correspond to the at least one feature location.
 44. Theapparatus of claim 41, wherein the at least one gesture input comprisesa touch input.
 45. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising meansfor displaying at least one of the image and the caricature image. 46.The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the means for generating a caricatureimage comprises means for applying the at least one caricature action tothe image.
 47. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising means forvalidating the at least one gesture input.
 48. The apparatus of claim41, wherein the at least one gesture input comprises multiple gestureinputs.
 49. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising means formaintaining a caricature action list.
 50. The apparatus of claim 49,further comprising means for adding the at least one caricature actionto the caricature action list.